Technical Field
Embodiments disclosed herein are related to forward scanning optical probes with fiber actuator systems. Embodiments can be used in devices such as Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) probes, laser coagulation and laser ablation devices.
Related Art
The importance of, and need for, high performance optical probes keeps growing in several fields. They can be used as imaging probes of Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) systems, in laser coagulation systems and in laser ablation systems.
These probes typically include a handle and a cannula, where the cannula is inserted into a target tissue, such as a human eye. The probes typically also have an optical fiber that carries the light from a light source through the cannula to a distal end of the probe where the light is emitted to a target region of the target tissue. In most existing devices the fiber is affixed to the cannula and thus can image or ablate the spot of the target region to which the cannula is directed to.
Recently, the functionality of some probes has been enhanced by making the fiber capable of moving relative to the cannula. This enhancement can impart a scanning functionality on the probe. For example, such enhanced, or scanning, probes can image or ablate the target region not only at a spot, but along a scanning line. Some scanning probes achieve this scanning functionality by moving an offset moving fiber through a sequence of offset positions. Existing scanning probes are known with the following features.
(1) In some scanning probes, the ultimate distal optical element is fixed to the cannula and the offset fiber is scanning back and forth relative to this optical element along a straight scanning line.
(2) In some scanning probes, the fiber is glued to the ultimate distal optical element, so the fiber and the optical element scan together. Therefore, the ultimate distal optical element is moving relative to the surrounding ophthalmic tissue and the cannula.
(3) In some scanning probes, the actuator that moves the offset fiber is in the disposable portion of the probe.
(4) In some scanning probes, a substantial portion of the actuator is in fact in the cannula itself. This makes a diameter of the cannula larger. Typically, the diameter of these cannulas is larger than 20 gauge.